v Sheffield Wednesday (a) - 29/12/2025

[GHD]

He’s likely being advised to benefit his agent rather than himself

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

29 minutes ago, rovers11 said:

Tyjon is being badly advised if he thinks going to Arsenal is best for his career. An immediate increase in earnings, yes, but at the expense of developing his game long term.

He'll never play for Arsenal, who will ship him out on loan after loan, just as Spurs do with Phillips (who can't get a game for Stoke). The guy who went to Newcastle (who's name I can't remember) would probably be a regular by now in our team.

Play in the championship and learn to play men's football, like Wharton did, and you'll get a big money prem league move if you're good enough.

Rovers is a great club for young players as you will get a very good chance to play regularly with our lack of investment in established players and thin squad.

It’s like the lad Brierley who we “ signed “ before letting him slip through our fingers and go to Brentford. He’s out on loan at Exeter at the moment. He could have been Wharton’s understudy here. Not his fault though.

[RevidgeBlue]

36 minutes ago, rovers11 said:

Tyjon is being badly advised if he thinks going to Arsenal is best for his career. An immediate increase in earnings, yes, but at the expense of developing his game long term.

He'll never play for Arsenal, who will ship him out on loan after loan, just as Spurs do with Phillips (who can't get a game for Stoke). The guy who went to Newcastle (who's name I can't remember) would probably be a regular by now in our team.

Play in the championship and learn to play men's football, like Wharton did, and you'll get a big money prem league move if you're good enough.

Rovers is a great club for young players as you will get a very good chance to play regularly with our lack of investment in established players and thin squad.

He's not had a sniff here.

Why should he even consider signing?

[roversfan99]

48 minutes ago, rovers11 said:

Tyjon is being badly advised if he thinks going to Arsenal is best for his career. An immediate increase in earnings, yes, but at the expense of developing his game long term.

He'll never play for Arsenal, who will ship him out on loan after loan, just as Spurs do with Phillips (who can't get a game for Stoke). The guy who went to Newcastle (who's name I can't remember) would probably be a regular by now in our team.

Play in the championship and learn to play men's football, like Wharton did, and you'll get a big money prem league move if you're good enough.

Rovers is a great club for young players as you will get a very good chance to play regularly with our lack of investment in established players and thin squad.

Thats blatantly not true.

He was a regular at Plymouth and has been at Stoke throughout, where he really impressed last year. He has played far more Championship football and subsequently boosted his reputation (and bank account) far more than he would have done here as 3rd/4th/5h choice, at least up until this season.

I dont get why it is always put down to the agent either. A 17 or 18 year old lad offered a big club will often want to move.

[KentExile]

1 hour ago, rovers11 said:

He'll never play for Arsenal, who will ship him out on loan after loan, just as Spurs do with Phillips (who can't get a game for Stoke). The guy who went to Newcastle (who's name I can't remember) would probably be a regular by now in our team.

Play in the championship and learn to play men's football, like Wharton did, and you'll get a big money prem league move if you're good enough.

Rovers is a great club for young players as you will get a very good chance to play regularly with our lack of investment in established players and thin squad.

 

Phillips has played every minute for Stoke since late September, barring one game.  He is still only 20 years old & has been playing regular Championship football for the best part of 2 years now

Finneran is a 17 year old who plays regularly for Newcastle U21s,  Tyjon has played the same amount of games for our academy teams this season at the same age, so it cannot really be argued that Finneran made the wrong choice

 

Both are getting paid around or above Rovers self imposed wage limit

Edited 3 hours ago by KentExile

[rigger]

33 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

He's not had a sniff here.

Why should he even consider signing?

At the moment Tyjon isn't good enough for our first-team. We need first team players now, not sometime in the future, I would get rid. 

[oneandycrawford]

2 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

People generally  tend to dismiss Academy talent as not being as good as dross that has been signed for money.

All the way back to Wilcox. Funny how Kenny seemed to rate him though.

[RevidgeBlue]

1 minute ago, rigger said:

At the moment Tyjon isn't good enough for our first-team. We need first team players now, not sometime in the future, I would get rid. 

At different ends of the spectrum, rightly or wrongly, neither Gueye nor Tyjon are even being given a chance to impress. If they're not contributing in any way shape or form,  might as well get rid I agree.

[Lancaster Rover]

5 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Cantwell was the only player last night that remotely looked like making something happen. 

Baradji once in particular just totally gave up trying to chase back which nearly had us in serious danger.

This is where I’d disagree, Cantwell has a terrible habit of coming into areas where he does no damage whilst simultaneously taking a body away from an area of the pitch we’re already light in. He drove rangers fans mad with his tendency to drop onto the toes of defenders, take a load of touches and then play it wide or like last night moan nobody is moving. There is likely to be little available forward options when playing a 5 back with a CDM and a 10 on their toes. 7 players in your own half, not exactly an opposition nightmare is it 

[chaddyrovers]

2 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Litherland isnt a right wing back though. 

Theres surely an argument to get a right wing back to compete with Alebiosu that can offer a more natural attacking threat, and then either consider Litherland at centre back or get hin regular game time in that position to allow him to develop similar to Scott Wharton.

Travis wasn't a centre midfielder when I first watched but a right back. JRC was a left winger when I first watched him not a right back or centre midfielder. 

Litherland likes to get forward even when he played centre back for the under 21's. So eventually might end as right wing back or right centre back in back 3. Think developing him here is better for us and him. Same with Pratt. 

 

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

He hasnt been playing in the same position so hasnt been tested defensively as much.

Id understand more to keep him as an option at CB. 

Tested defensively much? 

Litherland has been very good, he has been good going forward and defensively. He has played 3 games and we kept a clean sheet in each of them

[roversfan99]

16 minutes ago, Lancaster Rover said:

This is where I’d disagree, Cantwell has a terrible habit of coming into areas where he does no damage whilst simultaneously taking a body away from an area of the pitch we’re already light in. He drove rangers fans mad with his tendency to drop onto the toes of defenders, take a load of touches and then play it wide or like last night moan nobody is moving. There is likely to be little available forward options when playing a 5 back with a CDM and a 10 on their toes. 7 players in your own half, not exactly an opposition nightmare is it 

You tend to find with those types of players that they often drop deep to try and get on the ball when nothing else is happening, Dack used to do the same.

But of our very few chances, he was at the heart of creating themm

[Herbie6590]

Your BRFCS POTM for last night’s game against Sheffield Wednesday, in association with SUITS ME the official rovers Debit Card, is Matty Litherland ⚪️🔵

 

[aletheia]

1 hour ago, rovers11 said:

Tyjon is being badly advised if he thinks going to Arsenal is best for his career. An immediate increase in earnings, yes, but at the expense of developing his game long term.

He'll never play for Arsenal, who will ship him out on loan after loan, just as Spurs do with Phillips (who can't get a game for Stoke). The guy who went to Newcastle (who's name I can't remember) would probably be a regular by now in our team.

Play in the championship and learn to play men's football, like Wharton did, and you'll get a big money prem league move if you're good enough.

Rovers is a great club for young players as you will get a very good chance to play regularly with our lack of investment in established players and thin squad.

Generally tosh.

[roversfan99]

4 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Travis wasn't a centre midfielder when I first watched but a right back. JRC was a left winger when I first watched him not a right back or centre midfielder. 

Litherland likes to get forward even when he played centre back for the under 21's. So eventually might end as right wing back or right centre back in back 3. Think developing him here is better for us and him. Same with Pratt. 

 

Tested defensively much? 

Litherland has been very good, he has been good going forward and defensively. He has played 3 games and we kept a clean sheet in each of them

I am not criticising him, hes not even a wing back. But he isnt a naturally attacking wing back like Alebiosu is. We are too reliant on him so when he isnt playing, we struggle even more in attack.

We badly need 2 strikers, we should have 4 for 2 places. Thats non negotiable IMO. Suggesting only 1 is IMO lowering expectations to make them easier to meet.

But we also need some more attacking impetus from other areas. I dont agree with your mentality of use what we have, what we have is not enough. We are terrible to watch, so boring. In our last 3 games, weve obviously been solid but our only 2 goals have been gifted to us by shocking goalkeeping, otherwise we have barely created anything or looked like scoring. The formation needs attacking wing backs and we only have 1 of them who really offers us a genuine threat. We need to sign one on either side.

If you personally think or think the club will not bother with either side, thats fine. I dont think the squad will get the 5 players I think are needed as a minimum, certainly not of the required quality, but thats what I think I needed.

 

[roversfan99]

"Rovers is a great club for young players as you will get a very good chance to play regularly with our lack of investment in established players and thin squad."

Not ones who have any ambition, seemingly. 

Youll play, but the club wont do well.

[Tomphil2]

2 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

I have been impressed by Pratt and probably would have him over McLoughlin if we got someone in the middle. I wouldnt loan him out.

But how is it scapegoating to suggest that a player is loaned out to further their development?

I was referring to the negative comments about Pratt and at no point did i mention him being loaned out although that would be beyond stupid at this point.

[chaddyrovers]

19 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

I am not criticising him, hes not even a wing back. But he isnt a naturally attacking wing back like Alebiosu is. We are too reliant on him so when he isnt playing, we struggle even more in attack.

We badly need 2 strikers, we should have 4 for 2 places. Thats non negotiable IMO. Suggesting only 1 is IMO lowering expectations to make them easier to meet.

But we also need some more attacking impetus from other areas. I dont agree with your mentality of use what we have, what we have is not enough. We are terrible to watch, so boring. In our last 3 games, weve obviously been solid but our only 2 goals have been gifted to us by shocking goalkeeping, otherwise we have barely created anything or looked like scoring. The formation needs attacking wing backs and we only have 1 of them who really offers us a genuine threat. We need to sign one on either side.

If you personally think or think the club will not bother with either side, thats fine. I dont think the squad will get the 5 players I think are needed as a minimum, certainly not of the required quality, but thats what I think I needed.

 

I have addressed transfers points in the transfer thread. 

Don't start all this bullshit about expectations and standards again. Some people have different opinions to you

18 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

"Rovers is a great club for young players as you will get a very good chance to play regularly with our lack of investment in established players and thin squad."

Not ones who have any ambition, seemingly. 

Youll play, but the club wont do well.

We have cat 1 academy and the idea of that we produce our own players for the first team. Pratt and Litherland have come in and fitted straight into the team

[Lancaster Rover]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

You tend to find with those types of players that they often drop deep to try and get on the ball when nothing else is happening, Dack used to do the same.

But of our very few chances, he was at the heart of creating themm

Dack did it with much less frequency and when he did it was still higher up and more direct. 
 

Cantwell needs to use some sense though, we don’t need him in there. It’s adding more bodies in an already body heavy area. If Dack dropped in we still had height and width ahead of him to create space. 
 

I think Cantwell is technically a very good player (not as good as he thinks he is but above what we have nonetheless) but my general feeling is he’s behaved like a showpony in this 18 months here. With more tactical discipline he’s contribute more 

[RTM08]

4 minutes ago, Lancaster Rover said:

Dack did it with much less frequency and when he did it was still higher up and more direct. 
 

Cantwell needs to use some sense though, we don’t need him in there. It’s adding more bodies in an already body heavy area. If Dack dropped in we still had height and width ahead of him to create space. 
 

I think Cantwell is technically a very good player (not as good as he thinks he is but above what we have nonetheless) but my general feeling is he’s behaved like a showpony in this 18 months here. With more tactical discipline he’s contribute more 

Yep, there was a moment yesyerday where he came into the left back position and looked forwards - no one in a central position in their half. 5 defenders and two other midfielders in our half and the two strikers split out wide, our tactics are a huge reason we create nothing of note regardless of personnel.

Cantwell needs to be in the centre in the opposition half ready to turn and play the ball forward. He's more than capable, but it's almost like he tries to do too much because he can't trust anyone around him. Baradji looks talented but lazy and Tronstad is never going to push too high.

[Roverthechimp]

Any thought to Litherland being molded into a DM? Looks way more comfortable and attacking (albeit not round the outside ) than i expected for a CB